Adventures, Culinary and Otherwise of a New Life In a Small Town

Murderous Spiders, Canapes & Bobby Flay

I was chased around my kitchen by a spider yesterday, also my husband is deaf to the sound of my voice.

This is not the actual spider from my kitchen, but even looking at pictures of spiders freaked me out so this will have to do.

I am trying to make friends with nature. I can handle the birds in the bathroom vent, the several varieties of spider that live in the house as well as omnipresent ravens, seagulls and circling hawks that I know are just waiting to scoop up little Farrah. But this spider, which may or may not have been a brown recluse, the deadliest spider on earth, was trying to get me.

First it dangled over the sink while I was doing some dishes, I shooed it back up to the ceiling … it crawled across the ceiling over to the stove (where I had moved after finishing the dishes) and started rappelling down towards my face, it swung towards me when I tried to take a picture ( I was hoping I could send the pic to some spider ID site to make sure it was not poisonous, or at least to post on facebook).

At this point it was clear that I was being hunted. I called my husband, my pleas went unnoticed,possibly ignored. When it swung towards my face – obviously intent on disfigurement- I screamed. Then and only then, as I was facing almost certain instant paralysing death did he come to my rescue. On my insistence, he took the spider outside, I may not be a fan but I am no murderer… of course if it comes in here again then I know what I have to do.

So that was the most exciting thing that happened this week… Our menu got all messed up due to laziness and a Thursday Happy Hour at my new favorite place with my new friend Amy, Thursday’s ambitious Asian Steak Salad with Mango became pasta with leftover ragu and Friday’s pizza became Grilled Steak Sandwiches on Garlic Bread with Gorgonzola & Grilled Sriracha Onions.

Oh and on Friday I had a lunch adventure with my other new friend, Christine, an amazing food writer, wherein we almost got lost, went to a great wine store, (here’s their blog) had a decent lunch in a great space and found out what food poisoning smells like at a very unfortunate market.

Saturday I “helped” with my neighbors yard sale ( really I just moved stuff around, bummed some coffee from them and ate a cruller). When Christian came home from work we went for a drive, saw some sheep, horses, chickens & cows (yay!!) over at Wolfe’s Neck Farm, and stopped at Bow Street Market for a quick shop. They have great sausages and a fabulous selection of liquors..

I was inspired by their Lamb & Mint Sausage to make a killer pizza. I got the idea from Bobby Flay, it is on the menu at his new place Gato.

Oh Bobby, Bobby, Bobby….

I have a love hate relationship with Bobby, I love his food, I love the way he thinks about food, I think he’s amazing but he’s kind of mean, so probably I would love Bobby if he was my actual friend but since he’s a celeb chef, I kind of hate him, even though I really don’t. It’s complicated, we’ve met, I’m sure he has no memory of having a terrible margarita with light up ice cubes at a now defunct Fauxexican place in Philly “with” me, but I remember. OH yes Bobby, I remember how badly you wanted to play with my light up ice cube.

But I digress, I’ve read about the glory his lamb sausage pizza with tomato jam, mozzarella & fresh mint a few times now, and I wanted it, badly, so badly but that pizza was hundreds of miles away. I would have to make my own. And so I did, and it was good, it was really good. I faked a tomato jam by caramelizing a few onions and grape tomatoes with ginger, garlic, Middle Eastern spices and a few glugs of fig balsamic and tablespoon or so of jalapeno jam which I then pureed and I used Burrata, because why not and I added a flourish of sesame seeds on the crust…I just wish I had more mint, but my little mint plants only have so much to give right now.

Bobby’s Pizza at GatoMy PizzaMy Gato and Pizza

Sunday, I practiced driving at the old Navy base, I’m getting better, just need to not get completely freaked out when there are people on the side of the road, or other cars.

Our Sunday Family Dinner Menu also changed a bit too . We started with canapes.

I’m really into canapes right now- I made Smoked trout canapes with Chive Blossoms on Friday night(plus two with salami because it was there).

Friday Night’s Smoked Trout & Chive Blossom Canape (which really are more like crostinis if you want to get all foodie about it)

On Sunday, we had 3 Canapes: Country pate w Cornichon & Mango Chutney, Chicken Liver Mousse with Candied Ginger, Fresh Grapes & Smoked Salt and Caviar with Cream Cheese & Cucumbers.. fancy right? I got a little pot of paddlefish caviar at Reny’s for $3.99 and it wasn’t fabulous but it wasn’t bad either, even nicer with a bit of smoked salt & lemon added.

Megs made a delicious Strawberry Chocolate Cream Pie and then we all watched Game of Thrones and oh my goodness, it was so brutal, so,so brutal I can still hear that sound. I will not spoil it for anyone, but I wish I never saw or heard that thing that I won’t say happened.

So what does this week look like? Well Friday we pick up our first CSA of the season (YAY!!) and my first CSA in 12 years, finally convinced Xtain that is makes sense financially.

I love reading your stuff! And I am pissed that I am not eating what you are making! But honestly, of every fantastic thing you wrote, I am most amazed and excited that you are learning to drive!!!!!!!!! More driving stories, please! Can’t wait to read about the food your driving experiences will inspire.